The project "Crossing Borders" was conceived as a result of a proposal posted in Etwinning and many correspondence via email. The partnership consists of 8 partner schools based on geographically balanced countries in the EU: Portugal, Wales, Denmark, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Italy and Turkey. All are schools which vary in background and nature which will further support the project by exposing our pupils to a greater variety that exists in our European community.The variety in size is from 60 pupils upto a 1000 and the age range of pupils involved in the project vary from 8 to 16. All these aspects aid to further support the aims of the project which is to Cross borders, break stereotypes and develop a greater understanding in pupils of the diversity that belongs to our European community. We quickly agreed that the topic Crossing Borders could be a great working title. It can be read in many ways as intended and will be utilised as such. The situation with refugees coming to Europe was something all partners wanted to address and educate our pupils about. It is an issue we could all be better discussing with the pupils in order to emphasize and teach empathy, acceptance and being open minded, but also understanding other people’s' backgrounds and our duty as global citizens regardless of our backgrounds. But crossing borders is also about pushing your own limits in different ways. The activities we have planned will all be about crossing some kind of a personal border, but also trying to push others to cross borders by participating in the activities.We believe that the activities chosen to be key topics in this project, make us able to implement the EU strategic objectives - literacy and active citizenship, but also values such as solidarity and non-discrimination and contribute to the harmonious development of the European societies. We have chosen topics which we believe are important for teenagers and pupils who are shortly to transfer to secondary school to engage in, because they are the future. Furthermore, we believe that the activities we have chosen will support the topics and the pupils in their learning process. Some activities are very specific, while others are open and can be done in various ways. We think that imagination and creativity are important stakeholders. All topics will develop the pupils understanding The topics allow for further reflection in groups, pairs or just alone. Throughout the project teaching methods will be utilized to ensure pupils are active learners and encouraged to come to educated and reasoned conclusions.Intercultural understanding is one of education and didactics most valued aims. It improves both cognitive and anthropological enrichment and broadens up our cultural horizons. Learning techniques chosen are cause and effect, compare and contrast, problem solving and thinking of options, fact and opinion, evaluating and persuasion/ deconstructing - all techniques that enables the pupils to think freely, to engage in the activities and to develop various skills. The impact will be pupils developing their social and cultural awareness of EU and are able to see how the problems with embracing the refugees in Europe are being dealt with, pupils improving their self trust by taking part in discussions, brainstorming about their problems and their future and taking part in new and social experiences. The staff will have increased their knowledge about methodologies, training programs, educational instruments and practices. The schools have got a real international connection and have come a step closer to fulfilling the national curriculum for international cooperation and intercultural understanding.Many results will be created: A shared website will provide a learning resource for the participating institutions and others. Google drive and documents will ensure that pupils and teachers alike will have an opportunity for collaborative learning ensuring that the results of the project are forever evolving as topics are researched. A linguistic resource will be developed to enhance the pupils and teachers awareness of foreign modern languages and will be a sustainable resource after the project has been completed. Many results will be produced: artefact resources of the countries, videos and Powerpoint presentations with information and learning areas to be utilized continuously in the future, CD and booklets. The most important result of the project will be the broader, more accepting minds of our pupils who appreciate their place in society and fully comprehend and utilize their role as global citizens.It is our ambition that the partnership will develop awareness of the role that each individual plays, has played and will play in the future. We will assess the ways in which each institution develops during the project, compare data and by teaching, give the pupils an introduction and an alternative to their countries' traditional life - the European life.
The project "Crossing Borders" was conceived as a result of a proposal posted in Etwinning and many correspondences via email. The partnership consists of 8 partner schools based on geographically balanced countries in the EU: Portugal, Wales, Denmark, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Italy and Turkey. All are schools which vary in background and nature which has supported the project by exposing our pupils to a greater variety that exists in our European community. The variety in size is from 60 pupils upto a 1000 and the age range of pupils involved in the project vary from 8 to 16. All these aspects aid to further support the aims of the project which was to Cross borders, break stereotypes and develop a greater understanding in pupils of the diversity that belongs to our European community. We quickly agreed that the topic Crossing Borders could be a great working title. It could be read in many ways as intended and has been utilised as such. Our intention was to open the minds and eyes of our pupils so they were able to understand the different cultures and backgrounds people are bringing into Europe these years. 17 Global Goals was something the students got to know a lot more about and the Goals were visible in most of the activities in some way. Our main activities have base in understanding others, so charity work during the years has been important, but especially around holidays, where so many are left with very little, it has been important to help others. The mobilities have been very important! During these meetings, the pupils have actually gotten to understand other cultures and backgrounds. Not nessesarily by meeting refugees, but in the meeting with our partners. We all live in Europe and have a lot in common, but also many things where we are different, and that has been an eye-opener for all. During visits the students have attended lessons in school, have visited host families and have joined their friends for after school activities - been a part of teen life in a partner country. And that has overcome ones prejudices. And it was a particular objective - to reduce stereotyping. The students have become more confident in using English for communication. Meeting new people is easier well knowing that we have a lot in common, but also some interesting areas that we would like to know more about, e.g. school life, fashion, politics, music and so on. We believe that our pupls are more open towards new things. And they are more grateful for what they have and have their eyes open for how they might want to change things, e.g. in school: more activities during breaks, brain break during lessons in order to be able to comcentrate, better school food, less food waste, sorting the trash in school, a stronger student council and so on. There are no visible longer-term benefits, but within the participating students, there are things which they have brought on to their next educational institution, e.g. volunteering, starting a trash collection day in school for all students and teachers, focus on the well-being of others, sharing during Holidays. Some of the partner schools have taken in dancing as a thing the whole school do together once a year to give the feeling of belonging to this particular school.